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CTI aims to help homeless with job training, education

By Marie Donovan , Sun Correspondent

Updated:
01/18/2013 06:36:04 AM EST

LOWELL -- Community Teamwork officials announced Thursday plans to turn what could be an upcoming crisis into an opportunity.

Many Merrimack Valley homeless families are slated to lose funding from the state's HomeBase short-term rental assistance program as the state transfers funding from emergency shelters, like motels, to prevention efforts and expansion of affordable-housing options.

CTI has launched a new program called Community Connections to Employment and Training, or CommCET. The program, which receives support from the Paul & Phyllis Fireman Foundation, Eastern Bank, and other educational job-force training and business institutions, aims to provide some re-housing aid along with programs to help move families toward jobs that can provide them with self-sufficiency.

"Training and education is 'the silver bullet' giving clients additional solid skills that will allow them to move forward," said Connie Martin of CTI.

Tina Racine, a CTI HomeBase client, shared her story with government, business and nonprofit leaders.

Last year, shortly after she separated from her husband, he died and Racine became homeless.

CTI case worker Janice Williams helped her connect with the state Department of Transitional Assistance to get placed with her son temporarily at a hotel in Bedford.

"Five weeks after this whole ordeal, Janice said, 'Tina, you can go pick up your keys,' " recalled Racine, who is currently scraping by on HomeBase funds and widows' benefits to pay rent at an apartment in Lowell.

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"I've always been a worker. I am one of the ready, willing and able," she said in her speech.

After, Eastern Bank President Bob Rivers and Brian Martin, district director and senior advisor on economic development for U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, offered to stay in touch.

"It takes more to create self-sufficient families, self-sufficient households. We're really pleased and hopeful this program is going to help," said Arthur Jemison, deputy undersecretary for the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

Education and job-training partners are to include The Career Center of Lowell, Middlesex Community College, Northern Essex Community College, Shawsheen Vocational Technical High School, Greater Lowell Technical High School, Nashoba Valley Technical High School and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School. Former Sen. Steve Panagiotakos has been helping CTI to get legislative action.

Deborah Bergholm-Petka, director of development and training for LGH, said when the hospital gets new employees who have connected with training through CTI, "They're really so much better prepared. Folks are moving up through our organization to more technical and clinical roles."

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